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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25677457">Necessity, Legacy, and Risk</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/kryptonianmenace/pseuds/kryptonianmenace'>kryptonianmenace</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Stephanie Brown, Third Robin [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, DCU, DCU (Comics), Robin (Comics)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 05:21:30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>707</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25677457</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/kryptonianmenace/pseuds/kryptonianmenace</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After Robin dies, Tim Drake steps up. As much as it feels like betrayal, Batman needs a Robin.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Stephanie Brown, Third Robin [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1858975</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>29</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Necessity, Legacy, and Risk</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>For an AU about Steph, there sure is a lack of Steph in this one.<br/>AU where Steph was the third Robin and the first dead Robin.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It felt like betrayal, if Tim was being honest. Like taking Steph’s memory and setting it on fire.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But it was necessary.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Batman was getting reckless, crossing lines he usually wouldn’t. He was more violent, more cruel. Crime was still persisting in Gotham, but even the criminals had picked up on the change - something was off with the Bat, something to make him more dangerous.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steph’s death unhinged something in Bruce, and it was affecting his work as Batman.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then Jason killed Black Mask, crossing a line even an unhinged Batman hadn’t crossed, and their family split at the seams.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tim watched it all from the outside, of course. Even once they knew he followed them with his camera, he still knew how to hide from them when he wanted to. It was easier in their grief, as cruel as it was to use Steph’s death to his advantage. He saw Bruce unraveling, he saw when things came to a head with Jason.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So as much as he hated what he was doing, he knew he had to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Batman needed a Robin.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>“No,” Bruce said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And Tim wasn’t surprised. He did, after all, just lose Steph. The man wouldn’t want to risk losing anyone else.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You need someone to ground you out in the field. Dick is still out in Bludhaven and I don’t see you working with Jason after this. I already know your identity, you already know me. I’ve managed to follow you on the streets of Gotham since I was six. I’ll accept any training you demand. But I’m telling you, Bruce. Batman needs a Robin,” Tim said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s too dangerous,” Bruce said. “I’m not risking another child.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tim bristled at that. “You think I don’t know the danger? You’re forgetting I lost her, too. And besides, I’ve seen some of the danger already, going out every night following you all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bruce was silent, sulking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know why Steph continued to let me follow her even when the rest of you told me to stop?” Tim asked. “Because she knew I wouldn’t stop and she knew it was safer to keep an eye on me than to let me try to hide from you while I ignored your warnings and continued following you all. If you don’t train me, I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>going</span>
  </em>
  <span> to force my way out there untrained and reckless, </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> most likely get hurt in the process, because I stand by the fact that you need someone out there working with you to ground you and keep you from the edge. But if you train me, I’ll be safer.”</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Tim wasn’t going to let Bruce’s stubborn nature stop him from doing what’s right - he had warned the man he would still go out and fight, even without training, and now Batman and Nightwing were caught by Two Face. It was sooner than he thought he’d be out on the streets as a vigilante, but someone had to save them, and Jason wasn’t answering Alfred’s calls, too paranoid it was Bruce to answer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alfred helped him, bless the man. Tim had worried he would agree with Bruce that Tim shouldn’t go out and fight, but Alfred just helped him find an old uniform - Tim couldn’t tell if it belonged to Dick or Jason - and gave him some weapons to take with him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And yes, Tim knew he was unprepared. He’d never been in a fight before. He’d never saved anyone. He should’ve asked Steph to teach him self defense before she passed, but he honestly never thought of it until this moment. But adrenaline kept him going. He knew he couldn't let anything happen to Batman or Nightwing. Not so soon after Steph.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bruce was pissed, of course. Tim had taken a major risk in going after them. But going after Two Face was more important in the moment, so he saved the lecture until later.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The lecture came, but it was lessened by Dick voicing his support of Tim. By Alfred admitting he had been the one to help Tim locate the two.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The risk was still there but as the night ended, they came to an agreement: Batman needed a Robin, and Tim Drake was the new candidate for the job.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>
  <a href="https://haljordanisbatman.tumblr.com/">Check out my tumblr!</a>
</p></blockquote></div></div>
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